Which diesel fuel supplement in a B model?

[Wobblin-Goblin]

I had been using the silver bottle diesel kleen for a couple years in my 711. Last fall a piston melted because (presumably) an injector malfunctioned and wasn't spraying fuel properly. Not being a mechanic, I can't say what caused the injector to do that, so I'm not blaming the additive, but I was hoping that good fuel with a good additive along with regular filter changes would give me reliability out of this engine.

So, is the silver bottle additive good stuff (it is plentiful and can be found at NAPA and Wal-Mart around here), or is there something else that I should be using to treat the diesel in my B61 (and 7.3L and 5.9L Powerstroke and Cummins engines)?

[j hancock]

I hope it is good because it is what I have been using.  Silver for summer and white bottle for winter.

[james j neiweem]

I mix Diesel Kleen and Howes. I have never had a fuel problem. Don't forget now that the fuel price is down by approx. 1/2 you need to add more additive as you are getting more fuel per dollar.

 

Edited April 25, 2017 by james j neiweem

[tjc transport]

i add nothing in the summer, and will only put howes in if it gets real cold.

i have 495,000 miles on my 88 7.3, and 195 on my 02 7.3.

the mack and cat engines currently have around 300,000 miles on them.

[HarryS]

I use Howe's to replace the "good stuff" that gets refined out of the ultra low sulfur fuel.

[other dog]

3 hours ago, HarryS said:

I use Howe's to replace the "good stuff" that gets refined out of the ultra low sulfur fuel.

[Hobert62]

My dad runs howes in winter and their "meaner power kleaner" in the warm season.   He watches his mpg alot and says he gets a few tenths per mpg  better running it that covers alot of the cost.   

[james j neiweem]

TJC-I guess that means I should get another 300,000 miles out of my 7.3. A lot of people say that when they add Howe's they notice a quieter idle.

 

Edited April 26, 2017 by james j neiweem

[Freightrain]

I use Power Service in mine every few fill ups.  One bottle does 80 gallons, so I split it between the two tanks.  With the old 673 I would swear it gives it a few extra HP.  It would pull the hill on 224 in one higher gear after putting it in the tank.  Coincidence?  Who knows.  No real input on the 237 as it runs circles around how it used to pull anyway.

[Brocky]

Been Using Power Service grey bottle (Silver??) 100 gal bottle split between my 52 gal factory tank and 60 gal aux tank about every other fill up in my 2014 Cummins 6.7.  Maybe i should alternate with Howes???

[Wobblin-Goblin]

I'm going to start using Howe's from now on. 

[BillyT]

I've always had good results with Howes! Quit using power service because of the coloration, is it still purple? Thought it might leave a residue in the fuel system! I actually documented a fuel economy increase of 1 mpg on an 8.2 litre Detroit ! This was a hotshot truck, and smaller trucks are affected more by little changes(like a high load that drags wind) than class 8 trucks hauling more weight!

[kscarbel2]

In my humble opinion, Fleetguard offers the best diesel fuel additives. Cummins......who would know better?

https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/additives

https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/sites/default/files/LT32599_08_0.pdf

https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/sites/default/files/LT36049NA.pdf

 

[RedBullDog]

The only thing that i'd worry about, would be that those older diesels were designed and built to fire on diesel from 40+ years ago.  Fuel back then was not nearly as well refined or clean as today's fuel.  Personally, i wouldn't want to boost the cetane number much if any from at the pump levels.  It doesn't need to be rocket fuel in an old  motor.  Lubricity would be a major priority though, so maybe a little bit of 2 cycle oil at fill up or marvel oil. 

[kscarbel2]

As recently as the Bosch P7100 in the 1990s, pumps were designed taking for granted that there would be typical levels of sulfur, which acts as a lubricant. Now, with low sulfur fuels, using an additive is important to the healthy life of any pre-2000 engine.

[hatcity]

Been running Diesel Kleen for quite a while with no problems

Primarily for the lubricity factor

[Mike]

Howe's in the b and also in my 7.3

[tjc transport]

23 hours ago, RedBullDog said:

The only thing that i'd worry about, would be that those older diesels were designed and built to fire on diesel from 40+ years ago.  Fuel back then was not nearly as well refined or clean as today's fuel.  Personally, i wouldn't want to boost the cetane number much if any from at the pump levels.  It doesn't need to be rocket fuel in an old  motor.  Lubricity would be a major priority though, so maybe a little bit of 2 cycle oil at fill up or marvel oil. 

when "those older diesels" were made, diesel had a cetane rating around 62. these days you are lucky to see 40 cetane diesel. 

[thomastractorsvc]

I use power service silver or white depending on time of year.  In the dump truck maybe once in a while in the other trucks since thet sit more I try and keep the tanks full of fuel and suppliments 

[Dirtymilkman]

Your injector failed because either the tip cracked, broke or the spring was weak. All you need any additive for is lubricity and for gelling below zero. On our older pickups we would dump in a bottle of 2 stroke oil or automatic tranny fluid once in awhile. In fact when I change filters on any diesel I fill them full with tranny fluid instead of diesel. When I was in college we were taught the number one reason for injector pump and injector failure was because people changed their filters and filled them with diesel. Diesel can be pretty dirty coming right out of the pump and unless you fill the filters through the little outside holes you're putting unfiltered fuel in your injector pump. The red color from the ATF doesn't tint the fuel either. 

[fxfymn]

Quote

Diesel can be pretty dirty coming right out of the pump 

Exactly why newer diesels have primer pumps to fill the filters. The filters should never be pre-filled.